Okay, so I'm re-posting this chapter like I promised some of you guys. I made some changes, more like major changes that I needed to do. Also, I might be doing this to other chapters, and just re-posting them in different orders, so if in one chapter it says something and in the other it doesn't or it repeats itself. Anyway, I've been getting a lot of reviews of this chapter about Jamie not knowing the platform, which is when I realized that I forgot to re-post, again sorry.

Disclaimer: All characters (with the exception of Jamie), belong to J.K. Rowling! =D

AN: I just read a sarcastic comment just a few moments ago, and I want to say, I appreciate constructive criticism, but not to the extend that you are being sarcastic, if you think I did something wrong, then say it (or comment it really) or send PM, I don't have a problem. Oh, and if you're reading this, you might as well must have noticed that Jamie does not (and I will repeat myself), does not know about Harry's life with the Dursleys, since no one told her, period!

Thank you for your time to read this,

~Karie

Chapter 2

Train Ride

Jamie looked around the train platform with no luck finding Platform 9 and ¾ at King's Cross. She was wearing typical Muggle clothes, a cozy mid-long, dark green sleeved shirt, white trainers, and a pair of dark blue jeans. She had previously asked the passing guard for the Platform, but he only laughed at her and walked away, saying something about "kids these days." Having that in mind, she supposed that there was someone else that had asked the similar question.

Sighing, she stopped and looked at her train ticket for the umpteenth time. She had gotten the ticket the minute she woke up that day, and was rushed into Diagon Alley to pick up her school robes. Once she had gotten them, her "grandfather" had taken her to the train station, with her luggage already there, and told her to go to Platform 9 and ¾ and catch the Hogwarts Express before eleven o'clock.

She tried to recall if any of the professors had said anything the past years that might help her get to the platform, but nothing came to mind. She moved from professors to ghosts and portraits, but that was worse since the ghosts had lived there for the past 100 years or so and the portraits couldn't leave the castle unless there was another portrait like that in the train station, which she likely doubt it. That left one option left, the students.

Even though she wasn't supposed to go out of her room while classes were in session, she couldn't help but sneak around every once in a while, she had nothing better to do in her room besides reread her books and all, maybe draw every once in awhile, but that was about it. It had gotten tiring spending days in her room when she was 8, so she wondered around and managed to get to Hagrid's hut without getting caught. When she knocked the door, Hagrid was surprised, shocked, and smiling. He told her that she had her father's knack for sneaking and her mother's wit of avoiding trouble at the same time.

Jamie smiled at the memory, but it had been because of one of those visits that she had gotten caught by two people that were very much alike; in other words, the Weasley Twins. She didn't know how, and still doesn't for that matter, how they always seem to catch her red-handed in the act. She tried recalling any memories that they might have told her about their first trip and then it hit her. She remembered how they were shown by Charlie how to get to the platform.

Wheeling around, she locked in sight the barrier diving 9 and 10. Just as she was about to walk to the barrier, she noticed a blacked hair boy wearing overly large clothing, with circle spectacles with tape and a snowy owl. She had seen him before, and he looked just as lost as she had been moments ago. Not wanting the boy to embarrass himself, she gathered every ounce of courage she had and walked towards him, getting calmer as she got closer. He's emerald green eyes were constantly wandering between platforms 9 and 10. She smiled and once she got close to him, she tapped him on the shoulder. At the feel of her touch he jumped slightly. He tensed once he saw her. She was confused for the sudden action, but smiled warmly at him anyway.

"Hi," she greeted.

He looked around him, wondering who she was talking to, before looking at her questionably. Jamie simply rolled her eyes amusingly, and giggled a bit.

"Yes, I'm talking to you," she answered his silent question.

"Oh, sorry, but people don't really talk to me much," he said while suddenly finding the floor interesting.

Jamie thought this was cute of him, and smiled at him sweetly.

"It's okay, anyway I thought I'd say hi to you since you look like you've been here for a while," she pointed out lightly.

He looked up at her into her deep hazel eyes, which seemed to be familiar to him, just as familiar she was with his emerald eyes. Click. They heard in their minds when their eyes met. They stared at each other with curiosity, trying to find something they both seemed to share.

Noticing that neither that said a word, the young boy decided to speak up.

"Yeah, um, sorry but I don't think we've introduced ourselves yet"

"Yes, your right, should I start or would like to?" Jamie asked.

"Why don't I start? You approached me, and I zoomed out, so I will."

"Okay"

"Well, I'm Harry, nice to meet you," he held out his hand and smiled.

Noticing that Harry had kept his last name, she did the same while shaking his hand. "Lily – wait no I mean Jamie"

He looked at her confused, "which is it?"

"Jamie, sorry it's just that my family calls me Lily since I look like my mom a bit." she answered.

"Oh, so your parents call you after you mom?"

"Well, actually Lily is my middle name, and since it's the only thing that makes me feel connected to her, I got used to being called that," she answered.

"I see"

Harry looked past her shoulder and noticed the brown barn owl hooting happily to his own snowy owl. He turned his attention again to Jamie and noticed that she was holding the same ticket as he.

"You're…a witch?" he whispered.

"Yeah, and guessing from the snowy owl, you are too."

"Well actually I'm a wizard, but yeah close enough"

After a moment of an almost awkward silence, Jamie decided to voice the reason she had approached him.

"Do you need help finding the platform?" she asked.

"Yes, I do," he replied, "Is it that obvious?"

Jamie giggled, "A bit, but that may have been because I was just as lost as you, moments ago."

"I see…"

"Well, it's really simple, just walk straight at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. If you're scared just do a bit of a run."

"Okay," he said warily, Jamie noticed that the wall seemed very solid, and then said, "If you want I could go before you, if you'd like that is."

"Please, if you don't mind," he replied.

Jamie started to walk towards the barrier and people jostled her on their way to platforms nine and ten. She moved a bit more quickly, feeling a bit scared, considering maybe she was wrong, if she didn't get through it she'd be in trouble. Leaning forward on her cart, she walked briskly as the barrier was getting closer and closer. She was just a foot away, and she closed her eyes ready for the crash…

It didn't come…she kept on walking, and then she opened her eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock. Jamie smiled at herself, and turned around to see Harry. He looked behind and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, they had done it.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry and Jamie pushed their carts off down the platform in search of an empty seat. They passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on."

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

Harry pressed on through the crowd with Jamie until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. Jamie put Austen inside with Harry's snowy owl. She then watched Harry starting to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. She offered her help, but he declined saying he could do it on his own. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.

"At least let me ask someone for help, Harry," she pursued.

"Yeah, help would be nice," he replied, moving his foot away before he dropped it again on it.

Smiling a little, Jamie walked away and into the crowd, she soon spotted a family of redheads, and before she could stop herself she yelled out, "Fred! George!"

The two redheaded twins turned around and smiled at the sight of her, "Lily!" they yelled as they rushed to meet her halfway, hugging her between the two, making her laugh, "we knew it was you just moments ago with that boy!"

"How are you guys?"

"Great! But even better now!" said Fred.

"Why is that?" she asked.

"Because you're starting Hogwarts!" said George.

"So?"

"This means we won't have to hide you in school," the both said deviously, making her laugh.

"Guys!" she laughed.

"Excuse me," said their older brother, "my name's Percy, and I'm prefect –"

"Are you now, Percy?" said George, "you should have said so, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said Fred, "Once –"

"Or twice –"

"A minute –"

"All summer –"

"Oh, shut up," said Percy, making Jamie laugh, "and I'm guessing you're Miss Potter?"

"Shh!" the three said.

"Not so loud," whispered Jamie.

"Why not?" said the confused prefect.

"She doesn't need people asking her weird questions," answered George.

"I mean, she already had more than what was necessary from us," added Fred.

"Is that so?"

Jamie nodded, "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't say anything until after the Start-Of-Term Banquet, Percy."

"Of course, don't worry, I won't say anything," said Percy.

"Thank you so much," she smiled.

"Ahem," a plump woman cleared her throat, "Fred, George, mind introducing your friend?"

"Sure thing, Mum," they both said.

"Hello, my name is Jamie, nice to meet you, Mrs. Weasley," said Jamie extending her hand.

Mrs. Weasley took it and pulled her into a tight hug, "Nice you meet you, too, dear."

Surprised by the amount of force she could put into her hugs, all Jamie could do was pat her back a few times.

"Mum, I think you should let go," said Fred.

"Yeah, it looks like poor Lils can't breathe," continued George.

Letting the young girl go, Jamie breathed in a little, but not too much, not wanting to be rude.

"Why, I'm sorry dear," apologized the older redhead.

"It's alright," said Jamie smiling.

"Oh, where are my manners," she said suddenly, "Allow me to introduce you to my other two children, this is Ron," she said motioning towards the youngest boy, "and this is Ginny," she continued, the little girl smiled at her.

"Hi, Ron, and it's nice to meet you, Ginny," said Jamie, "I've heard lots from Fred and George – oops."

"What do you mean, you've heard from them?" asked their mother.

"Umm…"

"Well, you see – Jamie is a friend–"

"Friend! Oh my goodness I almost forgot!" exclaimed Jamie, interrupting the 'explanation,' "I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley, but" she said turning to the twins, "Fred, George, do you think you could me and a friend for a minute?"

"Sure," they both replied, glad that they didn't have to lie to their mother about how they knew Jamie.

"Thank you," she said.

"Well, I'll see you later, dear," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Of course, it was nice meeting you," replied Jamie, before walking away from the group.

Walking towards the compartment, Jamie and the twins saw Harry trying to lift their trunks inside with no luck.

"Want a hand?" asked Fred.

"Yes, please," Harry panted.

Working together, Fred and George easily tucked away their trunks in a corner of the compartment. Jamie sat in, and started looking for her bottled water so she could give Harry some, seeing as he was exhausted.

"Thanks," said Harry to the twins, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"What's that?" asked George suddenly, pointing at Harry's forehead, which revealed a lightning scar from when he swiped his sweaty hair.

"Blimey," said Fred. "Are you —?"

"He is," said George, "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"Who?" asked Harry.

"Harry Potter." chorused the twins, Jamie's eyes widened, but kept ignored them, and kept looking for her water, once she found it she turned to them both.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."

The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red, looking away from their eyes. He missed their eyes shifting from him to Jamie and how she seemed to be shaking her head every so slightly. Her eyes widened at what he had said seconds ago, she was so shocked she didn't realize she had dropped her water bottle. She quickly came back to her senses when their mother's voice called to them.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mum," they said, with a last look at Harry and then Jamie, the twins hopped off the train.

Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying.

"Here" she said as she handed Harry the water as if nothing had happened.

"Thanks" he said and drank from it, and went back to watching the family outside. Not noticing Jamie's eyes were on him. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose," she said before grabbing him and rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mum – geroff," he said as he wriggled free.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" teased Fred.

"Shut up," replied Ron.

"Where's Percy?" asked their mother.

"He's coming now," said Ginny, pointing to the oldest redhead.

Percy came into view wearing his billowing black Hogwarts robes and a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter 'P' on it. Harry was still watching the Weasley and was oblivious to Jamie's intense gaze on him.

She looked away noticing it was rude, and was pulled into her thoughts. She didn't know how to say it, but all she wanted to do was hug him senseless and tell him that she was his sister, how much she wanted to meet him, how he's life was with the Muggles, why was he so scared, if he knew about Magic, everything she wanted to know about him she wanted to ask, but there was one thought that had come back to her more than once, 'Does he even know he had a sister all this time?'

By the time she had gathered all her thoughts in place, the train had started moving and houses flashed past the window. Regaining her composure back together, she took out her book and began reading, now knowing what to tell Harry. Moments later the door of the compartment slid open and Ron came in.

"Hey, mind if I sit there? Everywhere else is full," he asked Harry, even though it was Jamie's side where he wanted to sit.

Harry looked at Jamie. When she saw him she smiled and stood up.

"Hey, where are you going?" Harry asked.

"Nowhere"

"Then –"

"Harry, I'm just going to go look around, I'll be back," she smiled as she answered him.

"Oh, okay" Harry said warily.

Jamie walked out of the compartment and saw the twins making their way towards her,

"Jamie is everything okay?" asked Fred.

"Yep, why wouldn't it be?"

"Because you seem a bit down," answered George.

"Is it that obvious?"

"No, but we've known you for 3 years, so for us yes."

Jamie sighed, "So what's wrong?"

"I'm not sure if this is even the same person as my brother."

"Jamie, he is name is Potter, Harry Potter, it's not common you know."

"And he even has the scar in his forehead, like you have it you-know-where."

"I know, but," sighing once more she pinched the ridge of her nose, "great, I'm over analyzing everything; and I'm only 11, I wonder if my mom was like this as well."

The boys chuckled, "Want us to find out for you?"

"No," she said shaking her head, "I want to be the one that tells him."

"Alright," they said.

"Well, I'll see you guys around," she said waving to them, as they entered her compartment with the boys saying, "Hey, Ron."

She would've heard the rest of their conversation, but her mind was wondering back to the Harry…Harry Potter that is.

'No, it can't be true, he can't be James, but then again, you don't meet a Harry freaking Potter now a day! The name is not common now' Jamie thought to herself, 'The twins are right, though. He even has the scar, then again that's what makes him so famous. But what if he doesn't know anything about me?' She kept walking not noticing the look she was getting from someone in a cabinet somewhere in the front. 'No, Jamie, now you're thinking and you're imagining the worst case scenarios, it's not good. I mean the worst that could happen if he doesn't know anything about me and we share some kind of twin telepathy,' she scoffed at her thought, 'Yeah, right, as if that would be possible…'

Jamie looking down, didn't notice the young bushy hair girl with mocha brown eyes and large front teeth, and almost crashed into her.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there"

"Yeah, I guess so, sorry, but have you by any chance seen this boy's toad?" she asked as she pointed to the round-faced boy behind her.

"No, not really, do you mind if I help you guys?"

"Sure" she replied, her voice was bossy, but kind at the same time.

They walked around the train, asking from compartment to compartment for the missing toad.

Jamie then opened one of the compartment doors, and asked politely, "Excuse me, has anyone seen a toad around here?"

A girl with short black hair scoffed, "why in the world would we have a toad?"

"I'm sorry, I never said you did, I only asked if you've seen it, unless of course, you have it," implied Jamie.

"Psh, toads are so old fashioned, I wouldn't carry one around like you."

Jamie narrowed her eyes at the girl, they both stared at each other intensively, "Oh really? Well at least I have manners, unlike someone."

"What did you say?" shrieked the girl getting to her feet.

"Easy, Pansy," said a pale blond boy grabbing her arm before turning to Jamie, "Sorry, but we haven't seen your toad."

"Is that so?" said Jamie more nicely, "Thank you, and sorry to bother you," she said before turning to the girl named Pansy, "See it wasn't hard, all you had to do was answer a yes or no question. Just because you're pureblooded doesn't mean that you should forget you're manners, if I were you I'd take lessons from the kind boy here," and with that she closed the compartment door.

"What happened?" asked Hermione.

"A spoiled brat didn't know how to answer a simple question," she replied sourly, "Honestly; you'd think she has something against me."

"Well, let's keep looking," said Hermione.

Going through the different compartments, they took turns asking, only to get the same response, "No, sorry." At last they made their way to Jamie's compartment with Neville, and Hermione. Hermione opened the door to the compartment and asked in her bossy voice,

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one,"

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the Hermione wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

She sat down next to Harry; while Jamie sat next to Ron; Ron looked taken aback.

"Er — all right."

He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. His rat stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said Hermione. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" She said all this very fast.

Harry looked at the redhead, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned, let alone open, his course books.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, I'd better go and look for Neville's toad. See you, Jamie."

"See you, Hermione" Jamie waved at the girl.

She left, taking the toadless boy with her. Jamie turned and looked back at Harry who was still dazed.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Jamie.

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"That's the house Vol-, I mean; You-Know-Who was in?" asked Harry.

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your older brothers do now that they've left Hogwarts?" he asked not knowing the different types of jobs a wizard or witch could have once they'd finished school.

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault."

Harry stared.

"Really? What happened to them?" asked Jamie, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."

Harry turned this news over in his mind. Jamie noticed the look in his eyes for a flash second before Ron asked,

"What's your Quidditch team?"

"Er — I don't know any." Harry confessed. Jamie decided to tune them out and get to read her book.

Ron was taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville or Hermione.

Three boys entered, and Harry and Jamie recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards. Jamie looked at the blond, pale boy with silver eyes, something about him grabbed her attention more than the other two, maybe it was because he looked different from when she had entered his compartment moments ago.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. Then he turned and looked at Jamie, noticing that she was looking at him, "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it, and Jamie's eyes turned to stone with the way his tone sounded.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort is for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

A pink tinge appeared in Draco's cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Both Harry and Ron stood up with Jamie in front of them, before he even finished his statement.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron, and he was sure Jamie wouldn't be much help considering her small stature.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.

Scabbers, the rat, was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle — Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione had come in.

"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep."

"You've met Malfoy before?"

Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly.

"Really?" asked Jamie.

"Yeah, his father was one of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione, who was still there. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?" and with that she left.

Jamie turned to them and said, "Well I better go and find some place to change, don't want to show up like this right?" she said as she went to an empty compartment and changed into her school robes she had gotten that very same morning.

When she got back to the compartment she had been sharing with Harry and Ron, she saw them ready. At once she realized the mess of candy empty wrappers they had, she simply smiled pulled out her wand she got the same day and cast a banishing charm.

They stared at her opened mouth.

"H-how did you do that?" asked Ron.

"Do what?"

"Cast a banishing charm!"

"What you mean you can't do it?" she asked confused, from what she knew a banishing charm is one of the easiest spells to learn. Then again she was raised by professors ever since she was little.

"N-no, just that…" he trailed off looking around the compartment.

"Don't worry, I only got rid of the empty wrappers" she said rolling her eyes.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. While Jamie was slightly glad to be back home, even though she was only gone for a couple of hours. The boys packed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor with Jamie.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air, as did Jamie. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and both Jamie and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n five to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

Harry, Ron and Jamie were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who took up a boat himself, "Right then, FORWARD!"

The fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead, it towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as he reached the cliff, Jamie smiled since he didn't realize that he was the only one that needed to actually bend his head. Either way she did as she was told like the others as the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands.

They clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door…